The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-07-07

and the best thing to do, and ,rtat OTHER
thought. 1t is always wise to accommo
date ourselves to the circumstances of ou
situation. Ii we cannot go directly ovel
or through the mountain. cannot we fine
some way to get around it?
Inertia is death. All nature is instinct
with lite and motion. Let us move for
ward.
The Riddleberger bill was formulated
six years ago. At that time we were in
no condition to promise, much less to dc
anything Through the mismanagement
of the so-called conservative or democratic
party, as before related, our finances
were in u most deplorable condition.
The State government had, i'll fact, about
come to dead stand still, being ipropped
up on temporary loans at ruinous rates,
and our financial condition generally grow
ing from bad to worse every day. But,
with change of parties in power in 1879
'S3, came a change for the better in our
condition and although there has been
no Improvement within the last three
years, still the momentum forward given
affairs under Readjnster-R Republican rule.
has not been entirely overcome, and this,
with other causes. leaves the State better
able to pay A. per cent interest on her just
debt than she was to pay per cent six
years ago am welded to no plan OF set
Element. We ought to offer something
practicable and som ething reasonable, and
something that has our own full consent,
and then ask our creditors to meet US On
this ground.
The figures kept standing at the head OF
the Wing for some months, several years
ago, defy successful contradiction. There
may be slight errors in the statement
hut
We owe about $2l 100000. On this sum,
as per exhibits made, we can pay A per
cent. interest and still have enough money
to run the State government. economl-
cally administered, the schools and the
asylums, and have some money to lay
away for rainy day.
AS one OF the people, speaking for the
people. | say most emphatlcally, it L had
been one OF the committee appointed on
the part of the State to meet the Commits
sioners of the British Bondholders, l
would not have agreed to any OF the propo-
sitions submitted by the said Commits
sionerS. But the commissioners were not
met as if anything was expected OF Them
They could not close their eyes to the fact.
that was perfectly apparent to every one
else, that the Legislative Committee was
a mere partizan machine, gotten up solely |
Ill the interest of the Democratic party, |
which was now, to all human appearance.
minority party in Virginia and likely to
remain SO for some years to come.
No, the Comm iSSion had not come 5000 |
miles to be tritied with. 1t came on bust |
ness and meant business. and it had a |
right to expect to be met in the same /
spirit-openly, frankly, with a purpose to |
agree upon some terms, alike fair to both |
parties, and such terms as the people
would approve, because they acere fair and
right and non-partizan. But, with sim
gle exception, and he the author OF the
unfortunate resolution the passage of
which had brought about the present in
extricable confusion, the State Commit
tee was composed of partizan Democrats.
Why was this thus but for a purpose?
: Failure" was indeed written all over the
whole transaction from the moment Of the
OF the Legislative Commit
tee, and failure was the result.
No, settlement was not to be made in
this manner, nor will it be done by bull
doing proclamations from our Governor,
[ was astonished that Gov. Lee, usually a
sensible man, should have undertaken to
bulldoze and boycott a whole State by
however well meant.
What was needed then and what is
needed now, was and is some practical
way out of the difficulty, and this, and this
only, will succeed. | see it stated that
our Governor has said somewhere, that a
would soon be made.)
L had hoped much from my old friend,
Massey, since he had trained for a while
with the party of the people, and as much
from Hon. Abe Fulkerson, who also had
drank from the fountain of truth. and was
to have become wiser than his
party, but thus far they have made mo
,irr,,t T,,l Loo |
-ectly evident that they have not swallow
ed the Democracy, but have been swal-
owed by it.
There are debts and there are debts.
confess that to my mind there are and
nave always been many metaphysical SUBJ
jletieS hanging about this SO-called State
lebt. 1t might not be we'll for the cred
tors to look too narrowly into the facts of
,he case. 1t might be better for them to
accept something and be satisfied.
Virginians have always been noted for
heir generosity. They have not only
tgeed to paya debt of doubtful validity s
)ut millions upon millions of dollars more
han they ever owed. And. like all our
generous people, they have come to grief.
But whether in equity and law we owe !
his debt or not it is an incubus upon the {
'tate, and it would be a matter stroke of 5
policy to get it out of politics, -settlsd- /
not on exactly our own term. on some 1
erms, reasonable and equitable and such !.
IS we can comply with.
AS citizen of Virginia, free, white r
nd twenty one," interested in all that
fleets my state for veal or woe, | have
written this letter, simply to add my voice
o those who say SETTLE" even if we can '
ct no better terms than to agree to pay {.
] per cent. Interest on the Riddleberger d
of the debt. Q
G. X. GILMER. r